I have spent the last 5 years trying to live a simpler life. Years of succeeding at times and failing at times. What is important to note when you want to change your life for the better towards simplicity is that simple living is not necessarily just living with less. Simple living is actually living with more! Let me explain.

What is Simple Living?

Per Wikipedia, simple living is a voluntary lifestyle choice that focuses on being content and satisfied with what one has rather than constantly wanting. Simple living often holds components of minimalism, self-sufficiency, work-life balance, frugality, reducing stress and being more present in life.

In my own words, simple living is about reducing the excess in life so you can savor and enjoy the parts of life that truly matter. It is about reducing the noise so you can be in-tuned to what REALLY matters. Simplifying life is about getting your priorities in order, self care and true PRESENCE to increase your quality of life.

1. Organize your life. Organize can be as simple as clearing out the spam in your email to reduce time waste to literally making your entry way one you want to come home to. I have found getting my schedule in order, decluttering “time-sucks” from my day and making my literal environment less cluttered and more organized a great place to start.
2. Clean up. This can be a daunting task that everyone has an opinion on. I have found just STARTING ANYWHERE and focusing on just that area THEN moving to the next a simpler and less overwhelming process.
3. Declutter your life. We often think of decluttering our home which I have tips for ( here are 6 things to keep in mind before you declutter your home) but what about our MIND? Sometimes first we need to clear out the clutter we carry mentally day to day to feel we can take on the rest of life’s clutter. Once you clear you mind you can also take a wack at decluttering your schedule too.
4. Create a routine. I love time blocking. It helps give yourself the control you need over your time and what you want out of your life. For me too many varied tasks, even if time blocked in a day, create anxiety. I personally do better allotting different days to different tasks with a few repetitive ones at set times daily. i.e. Monday I have meeting in my business and do content scheduling, Tuesdays and Thursdays I am in my studio, morning I do self care, check my emails, evenings I read and drink wine (lol)…you see where I am going with this anyways.
5. Learn what to say YES to. Our YES should be aligned with our values and what we want to create our life to be. YES, I said we GET to CREATE the life we want! As a natural “pleaser” I have learned to think through things much longer before freely giving a YES for the wrong thing. A YES in error is inadvertently a NO to the things in life you want. Better yet-start with jotting down what you WANT in your life, business, motherhood ect – this will help direct your YES.
6. Learn what to say NO to. Saying NO is a beautiful thing. Really this is all about having BOUNDARIES. I will come back to this at a later date and share more on all the tips and tool and wisdom I have gained through years learning and developing this.
7. Create a budget. This is an area I am still learning SO please check out my good friends site at Family Finance Mom – she is an utter wiz in this area. FOLLOW HER AND DO WHAT SHE SAYS, That is all.
8. Set bills to autopay. I just started doing this this year. It saves a TON of time, prevents late payments and makes life easier.
9. Create an auto deposit for your savings. Anything is good but 10% of your income is a great start – heck even 5% then every time you get a raise put half of that in too (a wise financial advisor told me that one).
10. Create a meal plan. Meal planning takes the thinking out of the day to day, gives you a plan to follow and with that plan you can prepare for the week. Sundays work great for getting everything for the week.
11. Switch to grocery pick up. I love this! It saves time and money. I have done it at Fred Meyer and Walmart and they both were amazing. You can do it right from their app and even save your most used items for ordering next time.
12. Use Amazon Pantry for non-perishables. Did you know you can put some of your common monthly needs on auto pilot? Yes you can. Definitely look into it! Time saver for sure!
13. Delegate and outsource where it makes sense in your life. This may be help in your business, childcare, house cleaner- whatever will buy back some of your time and sanity can be a great investment. We just started getting childcare/housecleaning on Saturdays. We then use that day to spend quality time with each child doing something fun and end the day with a date night just my husband and I.
14. Reduce TV time. Less TV means more time for more valuable activities in your life. More rest, more quality time with loved ones, a more efficient schedule or more time to read and learn are just a few benefits to less time wasted watching TV.
15. Reduce social media time. This can be a time suck and a joy suck as you get caught up in all things not related to your life. Set a timer then move on to more meaningful things. BALANCE is key.
16. Prioritize. Often we get discouraged because we thing everything is important but in reality we must choose the top 3 things we want to achieve in a day then be OK if the rest gets done another day. With setting priorities you then feel accomplishment instead of overwhelm.
17. Simplify your time. Time block. Cut out distractions. Make time to do nothing and then also anything you want. Time is a precious commodity – treat it as such.
18. Get a planner. Whether you love paper or digital- get all this information down somewhere to keep you on track. I use paper for some things and google calendar for my business.
19. Slow down. Learn 10 way to slow down and enjoy life more. Take ME time. Take rest time. Take hobby time. Take NOTHING time. Take time to connect AND disconnect.
20. Meditate or pray. This can be in many forms but it is good for you. JUST DO IT…..or don’t. It is up to you – those that do generally feel better.
21. Change your mindset. The way we think and what we say to ourselves IS what we will ultimately do. We act out what we believe to be true. Find a coach, mentor, pastor, good friend and make a point to change and commit your mind towards the better.
22. Ask for help. This is a hard one for many. I like to think of asking for help as a way to bring value to others. We all want to have purpose and impact in others lives in one way or another so why deny someone that when you need it?
23. Reduce commitments. BUSY is not success. Overcommitment can actually reduce the value of the commitment in general. Take things back to a time when people gathered 1-1, had conversations uninterrupted by cell phone and NOISE.
24. Schedule self care. ME time needs to be a PRIORITY you SCHEDULE if need be. If your cup is not full you can’t be who you want to be for others.
25. Schedule slow down time. Whether it be a set time or day, pick a time to rest and stick to it. This may meaning turning off devices and wifi to achieve this. That is OK.
26. Simplify your wardrobe. Less is more. If you have not worn something in 2 years give it to someone in need.
27. Declutter your digital life. You can use services to un enroll you from spam emails, clean out your friends list, get out of groups you don’t utilize that add noise to the time you are on social media, reduce any negative accounts you might be following. Organize the apps on your phone.
28. Do what you love. Is it art, singing, dancing, gardening or??? Do it regularly and schedule it. This brings balance and more peace into ones life.
29. Be present.Being present means truly feeling the breeze as you go on a walk, noticing the new freckles on your child’s nose, the way your bed feels when you lay down at night. Connect in all the ways that help you experience life more richly.
30. Minimalism. This can be truly reducing things but it can also be reducing commitments, stresses and any excess that takes from your joy.
31. Live frugally. Live within your means. Most don’t do this but doing so simplifies life by reducing stress.
32. Find contentment. If you can find joy and contentment where you are then what more that comes is just gravy. Contentment often stems from gratitude.
33. Eat healthy. Fuel your body with foods your grandparents would have eaten. As a Registered Dietitian I could talk for ever on this but that thought is a simple one that truly will make a difference. They often ate less and more wholesome REAL food when they did eat. Start there and drink enough water.
34. Exercise. 30 minutes daily is what is recommended just to stay well and prevent disease.
35. Consider creating passive income. A course, digital product, a site that has ads, real estate – financial freedom does simplify life.
36. Leave space in your life to just BE. To do NOTHING is a beautiful thing. How do you want to just BE and how often do you need this?
37. Journal. This can be done in a notebook, through a blog or social platform. There are so many traditional and not traditional ways to journal and reflect on life. Bullet journaling is something I have been trying lately.

Well there you have it, 37 ways to Finally Simplify your Life. Dovidenia. XO

If you like this article you mat also enjoy my dear friends article that will help you get your house in order:

Best Tips to Keep Your Home Clean and Organized

The post Finally Simplify your Life with these 37 Amazing Tips appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

I have been distant here for several years. After losing our daughter two years ago and nearly losing my 9-5 it’s accurate to say I lost some of my inspiration to write and connect as fully as I would have liked BUT I am back. I am back full of (some) wisdom to share, success stories and learned lessons and hope restored. Overcoming trials in life is essential to surpass the status quo and survival. To overcome is to THRIVE.

Two years ago we lost our daughter Tyia to a grave genetic disorder with no chance for survival. You never realize how deeply seeded your love is for your children until they are (what feels like) ripped from your womb, then a seed of hope lost again the very date Tyia was to be born. At that point, I couldn’t even share the miscarriage we experienced after the tragedy of losing our sweet baby girl. In the meantime, I was experiencing lost wages in time lost from my 9-5 as my place of employment went bankrupt and when it seemed like nothing was left and I was in a corner…..

I made a decision. I took a leap of faith.

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Man…. we have gone through a lot to be here. But right here is a very beautiful place in life and this sweet rainbow baby is hope embodied. Sometimes things come in life that remind you NEVER to give up. This little man is that for me. Today I want to remind you to cling to HOPE because without it the journey is hard but with it brings JOY. 🌈

A post shared by Stefanie at Simple Acres (@simpleacresblog) on Aug 4, 2019 at 1:15pm PDT

At that time of taking a leap of faith I was newly pregnant with what was to be our sweet rainbow baby we cherish today. My leap was a partial career shift toward content creation and social media management for business owners.

A year later I had a sweet HEALTHY (praise God) baby and a business thriving more than I could have imagined in such a short time.

So that is the short story. I needed to just start connecting here again and felt the need to catch up in a sense before jumping back full steam ahead with yummy recipes, fun art projects and stories on the farm.

Do I feel like everything in my life and business is figured out and perfect? Far from it and NO….BUT…

I have experienced hoping for something and going through something that required a lot of faith and making it to the end with an answered prayer (sweet baby).

I do have a business now that is serving others and helping to support our family.

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It’s not uncommon for people to not fully grasp what a social media manager does. Yesterday I had an “a-ha!” to simplifying how to explain it. . . . I help you so YOU can serve your community better. . . . Now to go in-depth : . . . I take time to absorb the heart and mission of your business. . . . From there I express your voice as I connect your mission to the community you get up every day to serve. . . . I TELL YOUR BRAND STORY with images that speak for themselves and copy that EDUCATES, ENTERTAINS and ENGAGES your followers. . . . I help you create a community connected to you. When people feel a part of something bigger YOU have loyalty to your brand. . . . When your people feel heard they hear YOU! . . . This is marketing, this is content creation, this is my media service serving YOU so YOU can serve your community better. . . . When you have the time back to be in your zone of genius you then can continue to serve your community better and better.

A post shared by Stefanie Davis Media (@stefaniedavismedia) on Apr 29, 2019 at 10:16pm PDT

So as I write this I ponder inwardly, “How did I come from a place of fear, doubt and in some instances despair to a place of hope and more confidence? How did I overcome the trials of basically losing a part of myself in a lost child I hoped for and a career I studied years for?”

The answer can be complex in detail but simply put it’s a few very simple things:

How to Overcome Trials in Life

• NEVER give up. Sure, there may be days where you need to allow a retreat, a pity party but ultimately you only allow it short term. If you refuse to give up you CANNOT be overcome by your circumstances.
• Move forward. Look toward your future and what you want and believe in and live today in a way that leads to the future life, you, family, career you want.
• One step at a time. It is overwhelming and impossible to change everything and do everything at once. Start small, even a few minutes a day of something you need to feel better, reach a goal or develop a better habit.
• Be present.Slow down and try to absorb the moment by unplugging from the noise of life and plugging into yourself, your loved ones, nature and what nurtures YOU.
• Give yourself permission to have hard days.I still cry at the loss of my daughter. Nothing replaces her. I still want her so badly. I have days that although I love my new career direction I miss the comfort of a familiar job and I question everything. I have learned this is ALL OK. Let yourself process and feel.
• Don’t ride the roller coaster. Life has and will always have it’s ups and downs but you don’t have to be thrown by it. As time goes by, as you experience more in life you begin to be more sturdy in your  beliefs and your confidence in your ability to survive AND thrive. You ultimately become less moved in life by hardship-which is a good thing in my opinion.
• Never lose hope. I personally can not imagine if I thought there was no higher power or greater good beyond our full understanding. For me taking the promises from a greater power and holding them in my heart gives me strength and a hope that can outweigh any doubt. Find that source of hope in YOUR life and cling to it when times get tough.

So there it is friends, a jumble of two years of some of the most challenging and stressful times in my life yet also the most beautiful, powerful and successful years thus far. When we can look at our trials after the fact as an opportunity to learn we can then take it and possibly help others. It takes time though. Everyone is ready in their own time. I couldn’t have written this before because I wasn’t through it. I had to be amidst the storm and do the things I listed above with all my might BUT now I am here to encourage YOU.

If you are in a storm of life now please know you aren’t alone. Reach out. Don’t give up. Practice self care the best you can. You will overcome! Dovidenia. XO

PS- I look forward to sharing with you my new media website in the coming weeks. If you own a business of any sort you will find a lot of value there, community art classes are coming in September and I am pondering a few group cooking classes too! Thank you all for your love and support through the years! Xo

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When the weather shifts to cold chilly nights, snow flakes, icicles and rain in the air you crave clothes that are conformable and warm. I tend to love the winter season for all its encouragement to cozy up for a few months. Warm, soft, cozy clothes are my favorite and even better yet if I can layer items under other items. I have shared often on this blog my love for Cuddl Duds® ClimateRight clothes! The Best Winter Clothes that are Cozy and Affordable are now available in a location you may least expect!

What I love is that ClimateRight by Cuddl Duds is now at Walmart for such affordable prices yet maintaining a great quality and line! You can buy options that are fleece, thin thermal and so much more! You can find the items near the pajama and woman’s intimate apparel section of the store!

Here is why they are the best Winter clothes in my opinion:

• They are extremely affordable at around ten dollars per top or bottom.
• They are very comfortable. You can sleep in them, go on a walk in them, wear then under other clothes and layer or wear them alone and not only feel comfy and warm but they are really cute!
• Versatility. You can wear them as an outfit to go into town and run errands, to work outside in in the winter, under snow pants to keep you extra warm and dry or to rest in as you lounge around.

I wore my outfit while running errands, going to work, walking around my farm and loving on my kiddo today! You will love these too. Shop the ClimateRight Collection at Walmart to get yours. 

Happy Winter all and stay warm and cozy! Dovidenia. XO

If you love comfy clothes as much as me you will enjoy these posts as well:

10 Ways to Enjoy Winter More

Simple Style: Essential Layering Fashion

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As a mom of many little ones, while also trying to be a good wife and run a business, spending quality time with my kids can be a challenge. The list of “to-dos” is endless the exhaustion is real, and the day never feels long enough! Often you can find yourself pushing through life without truly ‘living” it. That is where quality time comes into play. I want to share the reasons quality time is so essential, and creative ways to get more of it in your life! Here are 5 creative ways to spend quality time with your kids.

Every mom is different and will be drawn to how they engage in quality time with their kids differently. I am first and foremost an extremely creative person who values this characteristic thus often what I do with my kids involves creativity.

Because of this we were thrilled at the opportunity to partner with PLAYMOBIL toys for this post! They are a family classic and are now NEW to Walmart! We love being able to find quality toys at a convenient retailer for a great price. You can find them in the toy aisle.

We chose the PLAYMOBIL Take Along Fire Station and all my kids LOVE it so much and are entertained for hours! As a mom I love how this toys brings imaginative play to life from real world  iconic figures to fantastical ones. When you have a toy that helps develop both cognitive and social/emotional skills you know you have SCORED!

YOU can learn more for yourself, just hover over the image below to see more information about these PLAYMOBIL toys and to purchase them at Walmart!

Before I share some ideas for creative quality time let’s be reminded of just WHY it’s so important we make this a priority.

Two main reasons to make more time for quality time with your kids:

• Kids spell “LOVE” “T-I-M-E”. Often the best way to confirm love is offering your undivided attention. My kids ask for it, I schedule it with them, it’s such an important part of savoring the simple moments with them that make such a big difference in in our lives.
• Quality time with the kids means “time out” for YOU. Often the act of spending focused time with your kids forces you to unplug from the hecticness of life and plug into THEM and SLOW down. This fills us back up as parents and gives us some time of decompression from the “adulting” life requires of us.

Now that we are motivated to make quality time a priority not only for our kids to feel more loved but for even our own self-care, lets delve into creative ways to achieve this.

5 Creative Ways to Spend Quality Time with Your Kids  

1. Sneak out on an outdoor get-away and do a scavenger hunt such as this gratitude scavenger hunt. It is a great way to learn more about your child, teach them and soak in nature together.
2. Cook together. I have come to really enjoy cooking thus I love to involve them if they are willing. They are always interested in decorating cookies and this is the simplest example. If your kids are not interested in helping in cooking, they can be your “recipe judge”. My oldest loves this! I cook new recipes and he plays judge by giving me ratings. He loves this and finds pride in his role as my recipe judge.

3. Create art. We do a lot of painting and drawing in our house. Instead of buying a new birthday or holiday card I store blank cards made for painting that serve as a perfect project. Often, I draw images they ask and they paint them. They have watched my love for art through the years and seem to enjoy joining in this together.

4. Creative play. Find toys your kids love that not only entertain them but encourage creativity and imagination. We love all the PLAYMOBIL toys at Walmart right now because they do just that! They are high-quality and have strong attention to detail which offers more opportunity for you to explore and get creative with your child! We loved playing with our set and throwing some crafts from our craft room on the the play room floor as well. My son soared over his made up jumps and drove through the town he placed his set on! He just loved all the pieces and parts that made up his set which just inspired him more! Get inspired and collect all the play sets here!

5. Pretend together. We have created so many memories together doing this. You can create games outdoors, build a fort and pretend you are on a camp out, play kitchen and take orders…the options are endless. The point is you enter their world and leave your chaotic one behind for a time. It’s a wonderful way to connect.

I hope these 9 Creative Ways to Spend Quality Time with Your Kids inspires and motivates you to express your LOVE to your kids more with time that makes memories that last forever. Dovidenia. XO

The post 5 Creative Ways to Spend Quality Time with Your Kids   appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

A week ago I got the opportunity to take a little “mom-vacay” to hit the road for some alone time in the car and a chance to connect with friends. My mind, body and spirit needed it more than I knew! The solitude, the moments of clarity and the true quality time with special people were more valuable than gold! Would you believe that for the value of $160 this was possible? You could carve out a way to have this little bit extra for something special too. I can’t wait to explain how! This is the result of how good investments can afford more quality time.

Now, this post will not be written from an investment guru at all but just from me a simple mom who got to experience the value of $160.

Let me explain:

According to recent data, if you hold $10,000 in cash, you could earn about $170 in a year, at the current average yields of money market mutual funds. In a bank savings account, you’d only make about $10.* So, with this said when invested better you could have an extra $160 in your pocket.

I am here to inspire and share the value of $160 through my fun get away experience.

It is always hard to get away as a mom and get the much needed quiet time that allows you to push the pause button internally. I made it happen though! I committed to a 48 hour trip just me, a cup of my favorite coffee and SILENCE. I drove for 6 hours in this time frame in the still of silence as I drove and worked out thoughts and just took in nature.

It was so rejuvenating although so simple! You might not think that a tank of gas and a quiet ride out of town to see dear friends would be so valuable BUT it was! No breaking breaking up fights, hearing screaming and trying to keep my cool. I just drove and enjoyed the scenery.

I got to finally meet a good friend of mine and colleague of over a year in person as we finally lived close enough to reach each other by car. It is neat when you meet someone you have chatted with sometimes daily in person and just feel the genuine friendship even more when finally in person. We joined other sweet friends and colleagues for a delicious lunch. I enjoyed an amazing sirloin along with great company and the relaxing ambiance of a rainy day.

It was perfect!

I got to walk around the town I was visiting with my friend, enjoys meals and late night chatter. Quality time is one of, if not THEE, most important things in life.

I took this post opportunity with a company called Vanguard as a challenge to truly feel the value of what $160 can be. It is easy to think that saving and investing is not important for those similar to me with a lot to learn but this getaway confirmed to me that when we make smart decisions with the money we earn it comes back to reward us in ways that not only increase quality time but quality of life!

This post is sponsored by Vanguard, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

*This illustration uses 1.69% average yield for money market mutual funds and 0.09% national average yield for bank savings, both as of 9/30/2018, according to cranedata.com and bankrate.com. These rates are not guaranteed. 

Vanguard is owned by its funds, which in turn are owned by their investors.

All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest. Bank deposits are guaranteed (within limits) as to principal and interest by an agency of the federal government. There may be other material differences between products that should be considered before investing.

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Do you ever feel like all the “to-dos” and responsibilities of daily life just pile up and overflow? I definitely experience this on a regular basis and I am constantly trying to adjust my boundaries, commitments and delegations to create a lower stress lifestyle. Finding tools to de-stress is SO essential to self care and that’s why I am sharing my 5 best ways to de-stress!

There are so many moments in life where slowing down the pace of life is possible. Even a 5 minute break of unwinding from the day or even a moment can be so beneficial for your mind and health as a whole. I find as a mom if I give myself those moments of self care and pause I fell much better as well as patient.

Here are my 5 Best Ways to De-Stress and Unwind:

1. Get moving. Even a 5 minute walk will help release endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals your body releases with exercise that triggers a positive feeling in your body. I love taking walks in the mornings or evenings.
2. Laugh more. In the evening I love watching something funny from sitcoms to stand up comedy or even reading a funny book. Laughter literally is good for your health! It reduces stress hormones and can lower blood pressure.
3. Get creative. This can be so many things from building something outdoors, gardening, art and so much more. Often when we shift focus comes a quieting of our stress.
4. Soothe yourself. Self care can be so many things. A warm bath, listening to your favorite song and journaling are just a few ideas.
5. Play a game. Whether it is a board game or a fun app, games are a perfect way to unwind for a few moments alone or with family. Sometimes games are perfect for your kids to do to occupy them as you do some of the tips listed above as well.

Speaking of games we got to collaborate with MobilityWare and we had SO much fun as a family playing their solitaire game! It is simple & easy to play, great for killing time, a great brain game to stay sharp, relaxing to unwind to, nostalgic and so much more!

I encourage you to download the game and play it yourself! Click the link or search ‘pyramid’ on the App Store or Google Play to download MobilityWare

I hope you found my 5 best ways to de-stress helpful and serve as a good reminder to put balance and self care back at the forefront of your focus. Dovidenia. XO

The post 5 Best Ways to De-Stress and Unwind appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

Having had three babies and another on the way, bath time has always been my favorite time when they were little! It’s such a wonderful time to love on your baby, lather them up with wonderful smelling soaps and lotions and then swaddle and snuggle them in a cozy warm towel. For new moms needing help, my 5 Baby Bath Time Tips will help you care for your baby better.

I just loved bath time with my babies and I can not wait for it again! Bathing my kids when they are little is one of my favorite parts of caring for them. We are beyond excited for our new little one coming to us this Spring and I already feel the urge to getting everything prepared!

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For those of you that have followed our blog through the years, you may know we lost our sweet baby daughter a Summer ago. Through stories I’ve shared on our loss and the hope I refused to lose YOU all were there! Thank you! . . . . Today, we are anxiously hopeful and excited for a sweet ? baby coming to our farm in the Spring! . . . . We would love all your prayers, thoughts and positive vibes for this sweet little one. ❤️ . . . . To follow my story of hope after loss check out the link in my profile or search >> infant loss on my blog.

A post shared by Stefanie at Simple Acres (@simpleacresblog) on Sep 29, 2018 at 8:38am PDT

One of the most important things to me is using products that are safe for my bundle of joy. With that being said I was excited when I got the JOHNSON’S® products

They have a baby care line and it is new and improved, inside and out. I love that it is 100% gentle, free of parabens, and phthalates, dye free, sulfate free with 50% fewer ingredients with 50% fewer ingredients.

JOHNSON’S® products My youngest and I had fun shopping for products for our sweet baby on his way. Her excitement alone made our visit to CVS memorable. In addition for baby, she too wanted to use these products too!

After picking up JOHNSON’S® products, she was determined to get the bathing experience that she was sure her soon to be baby brother would have.

HOVER OVER THE TAB IN THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRODUCT.

So of course I obliged with lots of bubbles with the  JOHNSON’S®  COTTONTOUCH™ Newborn Baby Wash & Shampoo, lathering and sudsing up! She had fun asking me over and over if this would be the babies routine. This specific product is available in a wash & shampoo and a lotion so if you fall in love with the wash you can get the lotion to compliment it.

This of course led to washing up her hair and all the works ! I must say I enjoyed the bath time process as much as she did! We even tried the  JOHNSON’S® No More Tangles Detangling Spray just for her as she always struggles with tangles. I was so amazed how wonderful it worked!

As I prepare for my new little one, bath time essentials have been on my list of things to organize and prepare for. Of course in the list of products I want for my baby’s bath time I have  JOHNSON’S® productsJOHNSON’S®  Bedtime Baby Bath with Soothing Aromas that gently cleanses and helps relax your baby before bed, JOHNSON’S® products JOHNSON’S®  Skin Nourish Vanilla Oatmeal Lotion and JOHNSON’S® products JOHNSON’S®  COTTONTOUCH™ Newborn Baby Wash & Shampoo.

The rest of my must haves to get prepared for successful bath time are here :bath and bedtime printable

I hope you enjoy your time with your little one during bath time as much as I do! Dovidenia. XO

When you go to your local CVS you can save when buying your JOHNSON’S® products JOHNSON’S® products with a deal where you can get buy 1 and get 1 50% off on  JOHNSON’S® Baby or spend $30 and get $10 in ExtraBucks!

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Life has been busy, beautiful and chaotic here at Simple Acres. Autumn brings beautiful colors, family traditions, holidays to look forward to and “bugs” we need to fight off to stay healthy. How do you and your family stay healthy as the season changes and the holidays come? There are a few tips that promote a healthy family that are helpful for us we are excited to share!

We have a lot going on as mothers. I found myself in bed with a cold this week and what I realized is how much my family needs me to be my healthiest. We as mothers have so many roles that often we forget to take care of ourselves or we just can not find the time.

Here are my 10 Tips that promote a healthy family:

1. Take a time out. When it comes to health, rest is KEY to prevention. I am guilty as charged and can be the worst at this BUT I am taking a self-care stay-cation this week to rest and reset. We need this as moms and our kids even need this too. Rest helps keep our bodies functioning optimally to ward off illness. I am working hard to be intuitive to my bodies signs of weariness as well as my children’s this season and trying to be proactive with extra rest as needed.

2. Have a plan. Helping our kids and selves to be healthy through the holiday and fall-winter season takes planning and being prepared. This includes having an idea what you want to serve for dinner and snacks that are healthy to when you will get in physical activity. Planning comes in many forms but to keep it simple just write a note, journal or type it in your notes in your phone. Once written, there is a much higher chance of follow through.

Look at that cow, isn’t she cute!? I love how fluffy our black Angus cows ears get and they are the most inquisitive and peaceful animals. Also, very weird when they all come from 5 acres away and stare at you…I digress and there I am present with the slobbery cow. That brings me to number three.

3. Be present. Even in the midst of chaos I try to check in with myself and what I feel I need to maintain health (nourishment, activity, rest, spirituality) and what my family needs whether it is extra attention, rest, love or an extra healthy drink to start their day. Being present is part of that time out I mentioned above and helps in the planning process for your family’s success.

4. Stay active. It is easy to not exercise as the weather cools and our schedule fills with festivities and delicious foods. Often it is said people gain 10-15 pound during the holiday season of the year. Exercise is a powerful tool to ward of holiday pounds, decrease stress, boost our immune system and practice self care. What activity does as a mom is it models healthy behavior to your little ones. I have been running bleachers for 6 months now and when I take my kids they ACTUALLY run WITH ME! This is because they see the exercise as norm and fun! 15 minutes three times per week with 25 sit-ups and push-ups has been my regimen. With such minimal time I have seen and felt big results.

5. Be Realistic. You will not be perfect mamma. The reality is you will miss that daily vitamin, workout or servings of produce some days. Remember CONSISTENCY not perfection is needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle as a family. Keeping your perspective more positive and realistic with decrease the stress of all that’s on your plate.

6. Laugh often. A happy heart really is good medicine as it decreases stress hormones that effect your health and immunity negatively. Family movie nights with funny movie themes, telling jokes and getting silly with the kids are all great ideas to keep “the funny” alive.

7. Love often. Love is healing, uplifting, rewarding and comforting. Whether it is quality time spent, gift giving or kind words….love truly is the bodies best medicine.

8. Start your day right. I’m finding myself eating my moms pumpkin pie for breakfast and snacks this time of year! We need a convenient way to get in the antioxidants our body needs aside from the enjoyable foods the season offers. I am excited to share V8® Veggie Blends: Caribbean Greens juice drink. It is natural, healthy and convenient. This is a new flavor that you can find at Walmart. What I loved about is it’s tasty but not too sweet as its 75% juice, 25% water and contains no added sugar or food additives and is only 60 calories per serving. Just drinking a cup or two at breakfast gets me nearly to goal intake for vegetables for the day!

9. Increase produce intake. We need to eat more fruits and vegetables (2.5-3cups a day of vegetables per the USDA) than ever this season to equip our bodies  with the antioxidants needed to maintain health. Busy schedules and picky kid appetites generally wreak havoc on this goal. One cup of V8® Veggie Blends: Caribbean Greens equals a half a cup of raw vegetables which means meeting your goals just got simpler! Bring on the vitamin A,C and E.

10. Connect. Take time out, retouch with yourself and the Greater Good to reboot your body from the inside out. Here I am enjoying my V8® Veggie Blends: Caribbean Greens soaking in what nature has to offer on our farm. Watching my kids play in the pumpkin patch and counting my blessings!

Get your   V8® Veggie Blends  now at Walmart in the beverage section of the store.

Quality life, love, health and happiness I wish you! Dovidenia. Xo

The post 10 Tips That Promote a Healthy Family appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

I’ll never forget the moment. I went into my OB appointment fully expecting a healthy baby as we had heard a strong heart beat, my pregnancy symptoms were strong and all my labs revealed a “healthy” baby. Because of these facts and it being our fourth child I reassured my husband he could stay back for our appointment. I remember seeing a flash of my ultrasound and my sweet child was looking more like a cute full formed baby almost sucking her thumb. In that instant I fell in love more and in that same instant my heart dropped. The tech got quiet, she couldn’t see the baby’s profile.Where was her nose? I knew something was wrong. It felt surreal.

The tech left to get the doctor and I cried.

I called my husband and frantically said, “Something is wrong. I am sorry!”….. amidst my tears. There’s an odd ownership or guilt I felt at first when I knew something was wrong. My husband consoled and comforted me on the phone. I was transferred to a specialist the next day.

I remember the drive. We had never driven to Seattle faster. We both were physically sick yet trying to keep our mood as light and hopeful as possible.

My husband and I were meeting a genetic counselor and the best neonatal specialists in our region in less than 24 hours from my ultrasound. We thought we were looking at a cleft palate issue but deep down I knew it was worse. I knew my baby was going to die although I didn’t tell anyone at this point. I know morbid and odd but somehow I just knew.

Again another quiet ultrasound with an awkward wait as I look at my husband with tears in my eyes asking, “What will we do? How will we care for a child with no functioning?” Again, my husband reassured me.

The doctor returns to confirm our baby has one of the most rare and lethal malformations of the brain called holoprosencephaly. Her brain was lacking a frontal lobe and that was just the beginning. I haven’t let myself speak or look up the diagnosis for a year in fear of the anxiety it would cause me but today I did. Basically, our daughter had no chance at life whatsoever. There was nothing in her brain that would keep her lungs breathing and her heart beating once apart from me. Chances were she would die in my womb, be still-borne, not survive labor or even know how to come out if she made it that far or , although the likelihood was less than 4%, be born to then take her last breath. It was heartbreaking, scary and surreal. We had no choice other than  to prepare to deliver our deceased daughter at what point we were uncertain.

I will never forget the love and empathy shared by the doctor that day. An image I’ll never forget was of a medical resident standing quietly by the wall, as he was learning, trying ever so hard not to cry with me. I felt for him. The humility, sadness and empathy was palatable in our exam room that day.

We entered this appointment with hope and left with a hospice visit and ultimately a funeral to plan.

As we drove 4 hours home in shock and sadness the need for a name became more important than ever. We needed a name for our beloved daughter. We needed a name to pray for (as we were still praying for and believing a miracle could be possible) we needed a name to say, “I love you” to.

Finding the perfect name was not coming to us in the urgency we felt we needed it to. Then just as Psalm 139 says, “Gods knows us in our mothers womb” he called my daughter out by name. As I pleaded and quiet frankly demanded and even cussed for our daughters name … God answered!

I remember the moment, where I was standing, what I was doing and in my mind quite frankly speaking to God , “Damn it, I need a name God… now! “. Amidst my tears and sense of urgency in the very moment of my request the name Tyia popped in my head.

God only knows I need meaning for my babies names and I always research the literal meaning of my children’s name before I choose it. So I rushed to find my phone and there it was as I searched the meaning, I knew it was the one. As I looked at my screen and it said Tyia – “Gods Gift”. I cried and contacted my husband and that was it, we both knew. Tyia our sweet daughter, with no chance for life here on earth, for us to go through the hardest thing we have ever faced yet God called her by name.

She was a GIFT and taught me more in the weeks to come than in all the years of my life. That though is for another time to share.

Gods impeccable timing is powerful!

My prayer to anyone reading this, is this: God thinks the same of YOU! YOU are a gift! For God to call a life that only lived 5 months, malformed and incapable of taking a breath on earth, a GIFT…… how valuable are YOU to God?!

Your pitfalls, your error, your “lack”, your “failures” …. God still sees each one of us as valuable, as His beloved and a GIFT.

How much does your baby in the womb matter, your child who’s made poor choices or your parent who may have lacked presence in your life? God sees who we really are outside of the illness, poor choices, fear or unknown. I have never experienced Gods presence more than in this time although it was the most painful time of my life.

I don’t know to what magnitude or why I feel so strongly led to share this story but I believe it’s for a reason and for YOU to take hope in God who IS LOVE, more deep and intricate than we can imagine. I encourage you to lean into God, let him call YOU by name and you may just find a promise and purpose for your life far greater than you ever imagined. Dovidenia. XO

*For more on our journey through infant loss see how we maintain hope and my letter to the daughter we lost.

The post When God Calls You by Name appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

Call me the “Screen Time Regulator”. I laugh a bit at this statement as I was not always as intentional at this role in the past. I have a few tips to limiting screen time successfully as well as a funny story that will make any parenting fail you thought you had, not seem quite so bad. Here’ s how to end the screen time battle for good!

Before I go forth on this topic I find myself chuckling to myself as I finally am writing about one of the funniest parenting mishaps I have had to date. Well, this past event wasn’t funny at the time as I may have possibly created some short term trauma for my poor children but looking back it’s definitely worth laughing at! I will get to that story soon.

Do you struggle with the well known SCREEN TIME BATTLE? You know, the one that results in begging, crying and fit throwing for more technology time from your kids. There’s even the battle within the parent to let in so you can just sit in a quiet corner in your home in peace for a few minutes while you eat sugar and zone out! I feel you, I get it and I am far from perfect in parenting but I have found a few things that have worked very well!

You can feel like the “good parent” that limits screen time and the “sane parent” that gives in at the same time. There is a secret to this I am excited to share!

First off, the things I do to encourage free range play and other activities besides technology overuse:

1. Treats and outdoor play. The weather is nice finally and Popsicles and cool treats are fun to eat. We have a pool finally set up, trampoline ready to bounce high energy kids, a rope swing to play on and a hammock to knock siblings off of. “Old school fun” I like to call it. A certain part of the day when the weather is nice I encourage time where their only option is to play outside. Once they get out there with a yummy treat, their creative juices get going and they are busy playing. Long story short, boot them out for a set time….they’ll have so much fun they will forget about he computer game they were whining for.
2. Family exercise. Modeling healthy lifestyle is the best way to encourage your kids to grow up with good self care and value their own health. Often I take my kids on walks or we pack up their scooters and head to a local track where I do bleachers as they scoot and play together on the track. They even sometimes join in the bleacher workout!
3. Require reading time. I have a handmade book holder in my living room that encourages reading. We regularly go to the library and pick out new books together they find intriguing and store them in our book case. Often a book read is a prerequisite for earned screen time.
4. Create art. We make a lot of art at Simple Acres such as this resistance watercolor piece but I often encourage them to then draw a picture describing what the book was about I require them to read. They enjoy this simple task and it reinforces their literacy and ability to understand the content they read in a creative way.
5. Chores. I find kids actually (oddly) enjoy chores. From what I  have observed it gives them a sense of ownership and accomplishment within the family unit AND rewarding hard work with screen time works in our book.

So there are some of my real life alternatives to screen time we use. The biggest and simplest change I have made is allotting time frames and days I allow technology. For me, it has been easier for the majority of the time to restrict computer and video game use to only Friday night and some of Saturday. I at times feel fine in the evening allowing a set amount of time on technology if the above activities have been achieved in their day as well. I also set a timer and forewarn them how much time they are getting so that they know when the alarm goes off they are done. This has been huge for preventing tantrums and meltdowns.

I mentioned a humorous story I was going to share so here it is. There was a time I was able to limit computer and video game time for nearly a year! Can you believe it?

The story goes like this:

It was a busy day full of appointments and errands with three kids in tow. My last appointment was a doctors appointment for ALL three children. A disaster waiting to happen but nonetheless I felt I had my “A Game” on because I was the master “screen time regulator” using technology for good. I had fully charged each child’s tech device and brought it ready for a blissful technology trance as I went through each child’s check up visit. Well, for the most part it was a success. I left the appointment a bit frazzled but at least sane. Ready to get home and relax from a long day of errand running with three little humans. I packed them in the car and off we went.

Success! I felt accomplished in this moment. I had used technology for good and left feeling like SUPER mom…until…

I see iPads flying in the air as I am driving onto the highway. I was confused for a split second as I realized what this Super mom (ha) just did!

Yep, I left the dang devices on the hood of my car to be flown off like hockey pucks and smashed to shreds in front of my kids eyes. The tears and the daily remainders my kids offered of how mommy smashed their prized computers was so sad for a while! We learned to do more of the activities I mentioned above though so in the end it was a positive learning experience.

So yep, this might not be the “best” way to limit screen time but it was the most “successful” and long term solution we had for awhile! So there’s a little nugget to store away in your pocket for when your next mommy fail comes your way. You can feel just a little bit better about yourself and remind yourself of “that one blogger” who threw her kids iPads onto the highway into ongoing traffic! Ha!

In the end, we bought new computers and I do the things I mentioned above and every so often I just let loose on a Friday night and offer NO LIMITS and get a break with glorious sanity and peace with no guilt AT ALL as my kids float in technology heaven!

This week we did the playing, the chores, the reading and the creating and we even had a picnic! I took a night off and cooked up a yummy pizza and we all ate it together “picnic style” ! It really is the simple stuff the makes life matter. The more quality time you find together living life, being present, playing or just enjoying an uninterrupted meal together the better!

So this post is for all the parents entering Summer when the screen time battle can be the toughest! I earned  my patch of “Screen time Regulator” from my challenges and successes!

Red Baron pizza is introducing a Baroness that represents moms just like you! Moms who overcome those daily stories of chaos with their kids while in the end reuniting over a great slice of pizza! Join this fun movement and snag your patch  (there are many humorous ones to choose from) and share your story on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #wingmama and tag @simpleacres and @baroness . Three of my readers will earn a free pizza.

So in the end,  a few things that work for you and remember it’s OK to let loose too and bake this pizza for dinner and end the night letting your kids have some screen time while you enjoy a little peace and quiet too. Life is about the beauty of the “mess” not perfection!

Snag this pizza for your next chill night at home with the kids! The crust was so crisp and yummy and if you share your parenting war stories on twitter and tag me @simpleacresblog with the hashtag #wingmama three of my readers will win a coupon for a free pizza!

Cheers to an amazing season of life to come. Dovidenia.

The post How to End the Screen Time Battle for Good appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.